Apparatus for conditioning materials



Dec. 4, 1962 R. J. LAMB APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING MATERIALS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Filed March 30, 1959 INVENTOR. Raymond J [c1206 W M ATTORNEY Dec. 4, 1962 R. J. LAMB ,0

APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING MATERIALS Filed March 30, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

Rqymazzdr/Zam BY United States Patent Ofifice Patented Dec. 4, 1962 3,067,013 APPARATUS FOR CGNDTTIQNING MATERIALS Raymond 1. Lamb, 390 Highland Ave., Ridgewood, NJ. Filed Mar. 30, 1959, Ser. No. 802,672 2 Claims. (Cl. 23-252) My invention relates generally to an apparatus for conditioning materials and specifically to an a paratus for rebounding or centrifugally discharging and rebounding of material between the surface of a rotating member and another member either rotating or stationary. It is among the objects of my invention to provide an apparatus which is an improvement of the apparatus described in U.S. Patent No. 2,845,262 of Frank Fessler, issued July 29, 1958.

It is another object of my invention to provide an apparatus to rebound materials between the walls of a chamber and a rotating member with a high degree of efficiency in order to reduce the particle size resulting from impact at high velocity.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an apparatus for conditioning of materials including establishing of a homogeneous quality in materials mixed with other materials, introducing gas into materials, extracting gas from materials, reacting materials with gaseous, liquid or solid materials, while reducing the particle size of the material to be reacted, and effecting physical and chemical changes in materials under controlled conditions with respect to gaseous atmosphere, vacuum, or pressure.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an apparatus which will speedily and efficiently reduce the particle size of materials so that they may be invested with gases, have gases extracted from them, be caused to react with gases, be caused to react with gaseous, liquid or solid material, be subjected to rays or materials toxic to microbiological life.

These objects and advantages, as well as other objects and advantages may be achieved by the device illustrated in the drawings in which FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view of a stator or chamber embodying my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of a rotor;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view of an assemblage, including the chamber and the rotor set up for operation; and

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view of a portion of a rotor and a chamber displaying the relationship between the surfaces thereof to each other.

U.S. Patent No. 2,845,262 discloses an apparatus for the accomplishment of rebounding of materials in order to reduce the particle size. The rebounding takes place between the external wall of a rotating member and the internal wall of a chamber enclosing the rotating mem ber. Rebounding between such walls, which slope in a generally outward and downward direction from the C611" ter of rotation proceeds in an eiiicient manner, but it has been found to be desirable to enhance the efliciency of such rebounding in order to speed up the reduction in particle size of the material and to that end a chamber or stator having an inverted stepped configuration was designed. Each tier of steps is provided with numerous indentations, alternate ones of which present a surface disposed in direct opposition to material discharged from the rotor, such surface being perpendicular to a line tangential to the circumference of the rotor. Likewise, the rotor was arranged in tiers, each tier sloping in a generally outward and downward direction and each tier having a plurality of surfaces, alternate vertical surfaces being coincident with a radius of the rotor. By reason of such a construction, the centrifugal force exerted by the rotor upon materials to be discharged therefrom is vastly enhanced, such materials strike a corresponding and substantially parallel wall of the stator and upon rebound ing, are brought into direct frontal engagement with a radial surface of the rotor, which imparts its fragmentational force to reduce the particle size and to centrifugally speed the reduced particles again into contact with the Wall of the chamber or stator.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, my conditioning apparatus 11, provides a stator 12, which may be formed of various materials, dependent upon the nature of the material to be conditioned. For example, if the conditioning procedure is to be exerted upon metals which are in the fluid or molten state, the stator 12, may be made of a refractory material or lined with a suitable refractory layer resistant to deterioration through heat and errosive contact with molten metal. If, however, the material to be conditioned is milk, fruit juices, serums, paints, the stator may be made of metal such as stainless steel, or even of plastic material. By way of illustration, the stator 12 has been shown to be constructed of a refractory material arranged in tiers, 13, 13. The interior of each of these tiers 13, 13 being open, defines a chamber 14. A cap 15 encloses the top of the chamber. A passage 16 in the cap provides an entrance for introducing the material to be conditioned. The tiers are bolted together by the bolts 17, 17 which are placed at appropriate intervals in the tiers. Obviously if the stator 12,, is formed of stainless steel, it can be made much thinner since impact resistance and heat resistance are not factors; several tiers may be formed as a unit. The chamber 14 as defined by the stator 12 is provided with a plurality of indentations arranged in tiers 13, 13. The inner edges 18, 18 of these indentations are disposed in a generally vertical direction in substantial parallelism with the axis of rotation of the rotor hereinafter referred to. Likewise, the outer edges 19, 19, etc., are in general parallelism with the axis of rotation of a rotor, and disposed in a generally vertical direction. Connecting the edges 18 and 19 are the rebound surfaces 20. These rebound surfaces 21), 20 are disposed perpendicular to a line 1, tangential to a circumference line aa which describes the circumference of the rotor as it passes through the apex of each step on the rotor. The rebound surfaces are connected together by the connecting surfaces 21, 21, etc. which connecting surfaces 21 coincide with the tangent lines tt etc. The connecting surfaces 21 may, however, be disposed at an acute angle with respect to the tangent lines t! if it is desired to increase the number of rebound surfaces 20.

It will be seen that this construction provides a rebound surface 20 which lies in substantially exact opposition to a line of flight of material discharged for conditioning from a rotor. Frontal impedance to such material is presented so that the entire velocity of the discharged particles of material to be conditioned is dissipated in either fragmentation or rebounding, or rebounding and fragmentation. The material then rebounding, will be reduced in particle size and subjected to further discharge as will be hereinafter described.

The stator 12 is positioned on a base 22 having a discharge passage 23. This base also has a chamber 24, which defines a housing for the drive mechanism for the rotor. The base 2?, rests upon a sub base .25. The stator 12 may be enclosed in a housing 26.. A pipe 27 controlled by a valve 28 may conduct gaseous material into the chamber 14. The housing 26 may have a reservoir or receptacle 2% for receiving material to be conditioned, molten metal or other material, prior to its entry into the chamber 14, through the inlet 16. A further conduit 30 passes through the Walls of the apparatus to the cavity or chamber M- and through this gases may be evacuated from the chamber 14. A valve 31 controls the conduit Bit. In the chamber 24 an electric motor 32 is located with suitable speed changing means 33, connected to the bevel gear 34. This bevel gear 34 engages another bevel gear 35, which second bevel gear is mounted 9n the vertical shaft 36. Shaft 36 holds an axial Support 37 upon which a rotor 38 is mounted. In order that the temperature. of the chamber may be maintained high when it is required, heating tubes 39, may be provided in the wallsfof the housing 26.

The rotor 38, like the stator 12, may be divided horizontally in tiers. However, the edges are not arranged vertically as indicated by the vertical edges 19, of the stator 12, where the rebound surfaces 2t), meet with the connecting surfaces 21. In the rotor, the edges 4%} are the points of juncture between the rebound surfaces 41 and the connecting surfaces 42. These edges 4% are not necessarily disposed in a vertical direction, but may slope in a generally outward and downward direction. Likewise, the inner edges 43, which define the point of juncture between the rebound surfaces 41, 41 and the adjacent connecting surfaces 42, 42, etc., do not necessarily extend in a vertical direction, but may extend in a generally outward and downward direction. However, the important consideration is the disposition of the rebound surfaces '41, 41, etc; the outer edges 4 '40 may therefore also be disposed vertically in the same manner as the outer edges 19, 19 of the stator 12. The same arrangement is optional for the inner edges 13, 43, etc. It is to be noted that rr defines a radius of the rotor, and that the rebound surfaces 41, 41, etc., are coincidental with the radius as it has been found that such a disposition of "the rebound surfaces 41, 41, etc., produces a highly ethcient trajectory for centrifugally discharged materials or for rebounding materials, as to produce a high impact velocity and an incidental reduction in particle size in a most rapid and eflicient manner.

Attention is directed to FIGURE 2 where a distributional cup is applied to the top of the rotor. The top tier 46 is the wall of a cavity having perforations 45.

The operation of my apparatus is in accordance with the operation of the device disclosed in US. Patent 2,845,262. Materials in a fluid state, whether molten metals, or liquids intended for alimentation or other purposes are introduced into the apparatus 11 whereupon, by rebounding them between the various surfaces, the particle size is reduced and a liquid or fluid mist is created. Susceptibility to conditioning exists to the highest degree when this physical state of the fluids referred to is achieved.

1 The angular inclination at which the stepped tiers of the stator 12, are arranged is not critical, but it has been found that 25 to 60 degrees is suitable. It is likewise found that a generally corresponding angular inclination may be used to substantially conform to the line which is defined by the lower end of the outer edges 49, 48 etc., 'of the rotor 38, in order to achieve a satisfactory rebounding so that the material to be conditioned shall not too rapidly be deposited in the pit 44, for discharge through the passage 23 but this is not to be taken to mean that the rotor and the stator must necessarily be disposed with surfaces parallel. The desirability of including in the conditioning apparatus ll, at any chosen point, a source or radiation toxic to microbiological life is noted but the location of such a means is not considered critical. Material conditioned may consist of a liquid, a solid, or a gas or mixtures of each, any or all; the atmosphere of the chamber may be evacuated, or it may be a gas or mixture of gases; the conditioning may be physical, chemical or nuclear; the rebounded material may be conditioned while it is in the gaseous, liquid, or solid phase. Rebounding as used herein includes all 'springback regardless of its cause. Conditioning as used herein includes physical or chemical changes.

The foregoing description is merely intended to illustrate an embodiment of the invention. The component parts have been shown and described. They each may have substitutes which may perform a substantially similar function; such substitutes may be known as proper substitutes for the said components and may have actually been known or invented before the present invention; these substitutes are contemplated as being within the scope of the appended claims, although they are not specifically catalogued herein.

1 claim:

1. An apparatus for conditioning materials comprising (a) a rotatable member,

(b) a stationary member having a chamber enclosing the rotatable member,

(c) a plurality of surfaces on the rotatable member generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotatable member,

(:1) a plurality of surfaces on the inner surface of the chamber of the stationary member generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotatable member and generally perpendicular to a line which is both tangential to an arc defined by the circumference of the rotatable member and perpendicular to its axis of rotation,

(c) the respective surfaces disposed in general opposition to each other, and

(f) means for rotating the rotatable member,

(g) means for introducing material onto the rotatable member near its top and,

(11) means for withdrawing material from the chamber near its bottom.

2. An apparatus for conditioning materials comprising (a) a rotatable member,

(b) a stationary member having a chamber enclosing the rotatable member, 7

(c) a plurality of radial surfaces on the rotatable member generally parallel to both the axis of rotation of the rotatable member and a line extending radially perpendicularly from the axis of rotation of the rotatable member,

(d) a plurality of surfaces on the inner surface of the chamber of the stationary member generally parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotatable member and generally perpendicular to a line which is both tangential to an arc defined by the circumference of the rotatable member and perpendicular to its axis of rotation, V I

(e) the respective surfaces disposed in general opposition to each other,

(f) means for rotating the rotatable member,

(g) means for introducing material onto the rotatable member near its top and,

(h) means for withdrawing material from the chamber near its bottom.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 31,492 Stewart Feb. 19, 1861 291,223 Pielsticker et a1 Jan. 1, 1884 2,700,176 Graybeal Jan. 25, 1955 2,845,262 Fessler July 29, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,010,438 Germany June 13, 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING MATERIALS COMPRISING (A) A ROTATABLE MEMBER (B) A STATIONARY MEMBER HAVING A CHAMBER ENCLOSING THE ROTATBLE MEMBER, (C) A PLURALITY OF SURFACES ON THE ROTATABLE MEMBER GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF THE ROTATABLE MEMBER, (D) A PLURALITY OF SURFACES ON THE INNER SURFACE OF THE CHAMBER OF THE STATIONARY MEMBER GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF THE ROTATABLE MEMBER AND GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR TO A LINE WHICH IS BOTH TANGENTIAL TO AN ARC DEFINED BY THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE ROTATABLE MEMBER AND PERPENDICULAR TO ITS AXIS OF ROTOTION. (E) THE RESPECTIVE SURFACES DISPOSED IN GENERAL OPPOSITION TO EACH OTHER, AND (F) MEANS FOR ROTATING THE TOTATABLE MEMBER, (G) MEANS FOR INTRODUCING MATERIAL ONTO THE ROTATABLE MEMBER NEAR ITS TOP AND, (H) MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING MATERIAL FROM THE CHAMBER NEAR ITS BOTTOM. 